A Comforting Lie

The knife dragged across the whetstone with a schlikt schlikt. The repetitive sound stopped every few minutes as the single occupant of the room would run the blade against his thumb, testing the sharpness. The man’s dark eyes never left his work, it was an important job that needed to be done tonight, too much planning had gone into this to put it off any longer.

Perfect The gleaming, razor sharp blade was slid into its sheath, a black leather deal, easily strapped to a leg. It was placed into a backpack next to his suntan lotion, and swimming shorts, a dangerous bit of metal next to such frivolous things.

The stairs creaked as he climbed them, the sound loud in the dark house, and after setting his bag down beside the bedroom door, he lay down in the comfort of his bed. Arms encircled him.

A sleepy voice spoke softly in his ear. “You just getting in?”

“Mmhmm.”

“You as excited as I am about our trip to the falls tomorrow?”

“More than you know.”

“Good night Dan. Love you.”

He kissed her on the forehead, and with a comforting lie told her, “I love you too.”

Dan didn’t know how to love, but he knew how to lie. He was what one might call, a serial killer, but his methods were cruel in an unusual way.

***

The chirping of birds woke him, and the bright glare of sunlight through the curtains chased away the fog of sleep. He could smell coffee, and walked downstairs to see his girlfriend cooking pancakes. He might miss this one, she was a good cook.

After breakfast, they loaded up their backpacks, and began the four hour long drive to the scenic Rainbow Falls. The winding river was deep in the forest, the falls named for the near constant rainbow they put off with their spray. It would make a nice backdrop for her final moments.

They climbed onto an outcropping of rock that hung over the falls, then stopped to catch their breath. While she stared out over the view, Dan pulled a blanket out of his bag, along with canteens and sandwiches.

He watched her enjoy the beauty that he could not grasp, and smiled when she turned around. “Surprise! It’s not as romantic as I hoped this moment would be, but…”

Her eyes grew wide as he knelt on one knee in front of her.

“Elizabeth Anne Lache, would you do me the honor of saying yes?”

Tears began running down her face as she nodded with a bright and happy smile. "Yes!" His right hand slipped to the hidden knife on his ankle, and as he stood, he pulled it from its sheath. Dan held her face in his free hand and brushed away a tear from her cheek.

“Yes, I might actually miss you. For a while, at least.”

Before she could register his words, he slipped his hand sharpened blade into her stomach. He loved this part. The few seconds before his betrayal was comprehended, the slight furrow of a brow, the confusion in their eyes. Then came his favorite, when they felt the pain. They always did the same things. First they looked down, then they touched the blood, as if to check if it’s real, and there was the look. The look of hurt and pain, but not physical pain, although that was there too, but the pain of betrayal and of a broken heart. He lived for that. It was the only time he could actually feel anything besides emptiness.

He pulled the knife out at an upward angle to increase the wound size, then let her fall to the ground. Dan walked back to the blanket, and with a happy sigh bit into his sandwich. Ooh, turkey. Yum. He enjoyed his picnic in the sun, set to the music of her dying breaths and the sound of falling water.

The growing pool of blood dripped into the river, and for a time, the falls turned red.

Dan was what many people would consider a serial killer, but he only killed those who loved him enough to say yes.